COCOBOD, Traditional Authorities Join Forces at Bunso to Fight Illegal Mining

The Management of Ghana Cocoa Board in collaboration with Traditional Authorities, Farmers and other stakeholders at Bunso convened at Bunso Cocoa College to deliberate on the escalating threat of illegal mining (galamsey) activities within cocoa-growing communities in the area.

The meeting, held with the representatives of all government agencies, farmers and departments, as well as traditional authorities, focused on forging a coordinated approach to halt the destruction of cocoa farms and to protect cocoa trees, described as a national asset critical to Ghana’s economic sustainability.

Addressing participants, Prof. Michael Kwateng, Head of Cocoa Protection Desk at COCOBOD, reiterated management’s commitment to strict law enforcement to safeguard cocoa plantations and announced plans to intensify actions against illegal miners.

He stressed that cocoa trees are state-protected resources and that any destruction of cocoa farms must receive approval from the appropriate authorities.

As part of the efforts to mitigate the impact of cocoa farms destruction, Prof. Kwarteng outlined a compensation framework for affected farmers. He explained that the law is being amended to allocate 70 percent of the compensation to affect cocoa farmers, while 30 percent will be allocated to COCOBOD to cushion the Board against future crises arising from cocoa farm losses.

“COCOBOD has invested significantly in these plantations, from the supply of seedlings to fertilizer distribution and other interventions, and the organization must equally benefit from the investments made,” he noted.

Issuing a stern warning, Prof. Kwateng urged galamsey operators in the Bunso enclave to desist from unauthorized activities and to engage relevant authorities before undertaking any operations. He reaffirmed COCOBOD’s position as the major stakeholder in cocoa land management and pledged the Board’s continued commitment to protecting cocoa lands at Bunso.

He further disclosed that COCOBOD is collaborating with NAIMOS to halt illegal mining operations and reaffirmed the Board’s resolve to deal with any miner found guilty of destroying cocoa farms.

The Traditional authorities, led by the Bunsohene, appealed to COCOBOD to consider the installation of streetlights in the community as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) to enhance security in the area, and also consider the Fourth for employment.

The meeting concluded with a unanimous call for the Bunso community to rally behind COCOBOD in the fight against illegal mining to sustain the cocoa sector and improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers.